Extemporaneous playing system by pointing device

Abstract

A computer music playing system of the invention permits setting parameters before playing, sound generation control, musical interval control, and special control during playing by merely operating a hand held type position input device. System operability is good, use efficiency is improved, and the computer can be used even if the user does not know music playing technique and musical theory. A hand held type position input device is provided, and by operating the hand held position input device, various selections and various settings in software are executed. The band members can be set, the playing style can be changed by a combination of the setting of the band members and the selection of the music to be played. The operator of the hand held position input device can participate as a member of the band.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. In a music playing method including the steps of inserting software into a computer, and operating the computer to generate sound from a speaker through a sound source, the improvement comprising the steps of: providing a hand held type position input device which is coupled to the computer, operating the hand held type position input device to select musicians for a band from a predetermined set of musicians, and to select music to be played, causing the computer to generate sound representative of the selected music as performed by the selected musicians of the band, and using the hand held position input device to execute sound generation control and musical interval control causing the computer to selectively generate a further sound which varies in pitch substantially simultaneously in response to operation of the hand held position input device during said step of causing the computer to generate sound representative of the selected music, so that an operator of the hand held type position input device participates as a member of the band.   
     
     
       2. A method of playing music extemporaneously on a computer having means for producing audible sound, comprising the steps of: providing a hand held computer input device connected to the computer;   manually moving the hand held computer input device when a change from one musical note to another musical note is desired to communicate to the computer information which represents a desired sequence of musical notes and which is used by the computer to produce audible sound corresponding to the desired sequence of musical notes substantially simultaneously in response to movement of said hand held input device; and   causing the computer to play automatically a musical piece based on information previously stored in the computer while simultaneously performing said step of mutually moving said hand held computer input device so that the computer plays said musical piece and said desired sequence of musical notes simultaneously.   
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 2, including the step of using the computer to ensure that the desired sequence of musical notes is confined to a musical scale which corresponds harmonically to said musical piece being played by the computer. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus comprising: a manually operable input device having a first part and having a second part which is movable relative to said first part, said input device outputting an electrical signal which represents the position of said second part relative to said first part and can have at least three different values; first means for outputting a first sequence of audible sounds representative of a music selection; and second means responsive to said input device for generating, simultaneously with said outputting of said sequence by said first means a second sequence of audible sounds which correspond to different values of said signal from said input device and which are generated substantially simultaneously in response to said different values of said signal from said input device. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second means includes means for confining said each sound of said second sequence to a musical note which is harmonically consistent with the sound being simultaneously generated according to said first sequence. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second means includes means for changing the pitch of a sound from said first and second parts, where the change in pitch is necessary to ensure that each said sound of said second sequence is harmonically consistent with sound being simultaneously generated in accord with said first sequence. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said signal produced by said input device varies substantially continuously in value in response to a continuous movement of said second part relative to said first part. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said input device has a manually operable first push-button switch thereon, said second means respectively enabling and disabling generation of said second sequence when said first push-button switch is respectively actuated and deactuated. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said input device includes a manually operable second push-button switch, said second means being responsive to said second push-button switch being respectively deactuated and actuated for respectively permitting and preventing variation by said second means of said audible sound produced by said second means in response to relative movement of said first and second parts of said input device. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second means includes means for periodically checking a value of said signal from said input device, and for changing the pitch of the sound generated by said second means by an amount which corresponds to the amount of change in the value of said signal between an immediately preceding check of said signal and a current check of said signal. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first means includes means defining a plurality of different music selections, and including further means cooperable with said input device and said first means for selecting in response to relative manual movement of said first and second parts of said input device a respective one of said plurality of music selections as said music selection for which said first means outputs said first sequence of sounds. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus to claim 4, wherein said first means includes means defining a plurality of musicians and a unique characteristic style for each of said musicians, means responsive to relative manual movement of said first and second parts of said input device for selecting a subset of said musicians to be a band, and means for causing said first sequence to include for each said musician in said subset respective musical sounds which are characteristic of the playing style of such musician. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second part of said input device is capable of movement in two different dimensions relative to said first part, said second sequence of audible sounds being a function of movement of said second part relative to said first part in each of said two dimensions.